The average annual salary of an acute care nurse practitioner is around $90,583. Here, we discuss the salary figures of these health professionals according to various factors such as job location, experience, educational qualification and certifications.
Acute care nurse practitioners are registered nurses with a graduate degree in nursing whose job is to provide care to critically ill patients. Their key roles include taking care of patients before and after a surgery, diagnosing the health issue based on observations, interpreting diagnostic tests, carrying out physical examinations, providing primary care services and educating patients on various issues.
In the United States, the licensing requirements of ACNPs vary from state to state. Some states allow these professionals to work independently, while others may require a collaborative agreement with a physician. Acute care nurse practitioners are mostly employed in hospitals, nurse practitioner offices, nursing homes, educational institutes, public health departments, outpatient care centers and with the military. The working hours vary, and may require an individual to be on-call or work in night shifts.
Most common areas of specialty for nurse practitioners (NP) in hospitals include family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics. Today, acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) are in great demand, due to their expertise in dealing with emergencies. Let us now take a look at their salary figures.
Salary Range
Coming to the average acute care nurse practitioner salary, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the annual median salary in USA is $64,690 as of 2010. Even those professionals with only a few years of work experience manage to earn somewhere between $71,000 and $98,000. There are many other factors which affect the salary; job location, experience and employment sector being the most important ones. Given below are salary details of these professionals based on these factors.
According to Location
| Alabama | $98,000 |
| Alaska | $82,000 |
| Arizona | $86,000 |
| Arkansas | $96,000 |
| California | $107,000 |
| Colorado | $85,000 |
| Connecticut | $104,000 |
| Delaware | $90,000 |
| Florida | $92,000 |
| Georgia | $105,000 |
| Hawaii | $70,000 |
| Idaho | $82,000 |
| Illinois | $102,000 |
| Indiana | $97,000 |
| Iowa | $89,000 |
| Kansas | $87,000 |
| Kentucky | $85,000 |
| Louisiana | $80,000 |
| Maine | $87,000 |
| Maryland | $98,000 |
| Massachusetts | $110,000 |
| Michigan | $93,000 |
| Minnesota | $88,000 |
| Mississippi | $113,000 |
| Missouri | $96,000 |
| Montana | $98,000 |
| Nebraska | $79,000 |
| Nevada | $91,000 |
| New Hampshire | $95,000 |
| New Jersey | $102,000 |
| New Mexico | $87,000 |
| New York | $113,000 |
| North Carolina | $95,000 |
| North Dakota | $91,000 |
| Ohio | $91,000 |
| Oklahoma | $88,000 |
| Oregon | $90,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $83,000 |
| Rhode Island | $98,000 |
| South Carolina | $86,000 |
| South Dakota | $76,000 |
| Tennessee | $91,000 |
| Texas | $91,000 |
| Utah | $87,000 |
| Vermont | $92,000 |
| Virginia | $97,000 |
| Washington | $92,000 |
| West Virginia | $95,000 |
| Wisconsin | $84,000 |
| Wyoming | $92,000 |
According to Experience
| 1 to 4 years | $71,000 – $98,000 |
| 5 to 9 years | $65,000 – $101,000 |
| 10 to 19 years | $76,000 – $121,000 |
| More than 20 years | $78,000 – $125,000 |
According to Certification
| Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) | $72,000 – $114,000 |
| Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) | $77,000 – $109,000 |
| Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) | $81,000 – $103,000 |
| American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) | $78,000 – $96,000 |
| Basic Life Support (BLS) | $70,000 – $100,000 |
According to Degree
| Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | $72,000 – $109,000 |
| Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) | $66,000 – $101,000 |
| Master of Science (MS), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | $96,000 – $120,000 |
According to Industry
| Healthcare | $70,000 – $103,000 |
| Hospital | $70,000 – $104,000 |
| Cardiologist’s Office | $69,000 – $102,000 |
| Acute Care Hospital | $73,000 – $107,000 |
| Cardiothoracic Surgery | $70,000 – $104,000 |
Note:
- All the above figures are mentioned in US dollars.
- All the above figures are as per Indeed and PayScale as of Jan, 2013.
- The figures are subject to change depending on employer, educational qualification, experience and several other factors.
Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in the year 2010 stood at 2,737,400 and are expected to grow by about 26% (711,900) by the year 2020. The growth is supposed to occur due to various advancements in technology and an increased emphasis on preventive care.
Educational Requirements
One is supposed to complete a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and then earn a master’s degree in acute care nursing, to become an acute care nurse practitioner. Most students take up courses in sciences like nursing, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, chemistry, psychology, microbiology, social and behavioral sciences. The BSN programs are usually four years long whereas, an associate’s degree or diploma takes over two to three years to complete.
Graduate programs might need the applicant to be a licensed Registered Nurse with prior experience in the field. In addition to the coursework, clinical training in public health departments, home-health agencies or walk-in clinics might also be a prerequisite. One has to make sure that any program is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, for example, the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, Inc. Moreover, all nurses should pass the National Council Licensure Examination so as to obtain a license. A licensed graduate of any of the three programs; either bachelor’s, associates or diploma can apply for an entry-level position in this field.
Although it is one of the most sought after medical jobs, the work of acute care nurses can be quite stressful. It requires great patience, grit and commitment to sustain and excel in this field. But if you are interested in the field and are looking for a job that not only pays well but offers an exciting career opportunity, then this is just the perfect choice for you.
